Everyday
by KanraTheManatee
Summary: Everyday, she went into the same building. She endured the boredom, just so she could see him, everyday. (Gruvia) (AU)
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** **Yeah this is my first story. To think my first would be Gruvia! Always thought I would start out with NaLu. Ah well. I came up with this story one night and I thought it would fit best with Grey and Juvia. Anyways, I'm happy with any and all CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, (Like spelling, suggestions, etc.) Hope you enjoy. :) ** **P.S. This story is written in the third person**

Everyday, Juvia Lockser would wake up at precisely 7:00 A.M, get dressed, and cook herself a sensible meal, usually consisting of an egg for protein over whole wheat bread and a glass of water. Then she would brush her teeth and leave for work, taking the number two bus to her building, Fairy Tail Law, and work her 10 hour shift before heading home. Most people would hate this monotonous lifestyle, but Juvia loved it, and wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything in the entire world. Why? Because every day, in that 10 hour period, she could see him

Gray Fullbuster, a wonderfully handsome man who always came in an hour after her, everyday, into the same building. But there was something strange about him. Every time he came in, he would say goodbye to different woman at the door before entering. Juvia wasn't stupid. She knew what was happening but it hurt her to think about. Every other woman was able to talk to him and be near him with such ease, and yet she could be within 3 feet of him without becoming a nervous wreck.

Yes, everyday was the same for young, Juvia Lockser, whose life was quickly going nowhere, but for the time being, she was okay like this. As long as the man of her dreams was in her sight, she was okay. But she wasn't expecting everything to change that one day. The day she would be forever thankful for.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Chapter 1. Seems a bit short to me. Oh well, I'll go for longer in the future. Enjoy!**

Juvia Lockser walked into her work building, as she usually did, a spring in her step as she took the elevator to the 9th floor. Juvia worked in Fairy Tail Law, a law firm well known for its fierce lawyers willing to fight for the little guys, although Juvia was far from a lawyer. She was just the girl who ran small jobs, similar to an intern, without actually being an intern. If anyone else was in her position, they might have been angry, but Juvia was just happy her application was even accepted, considering she previously worked at Phantom Lord, one of Fairy Tail's many rivals.

As she plopped herself in her simple desk, she took notice of the people bustling around her. Juvia loved the busy atmosphere, the sound of people working hard to help other people, something she never heard working at Phantom Lord. So many things happening at the same time; Lucy Heartfillia, secretary to Natsu Dragneel, one of the best lawyers all of Magnolia had ever seen, was running around, desperately trying to find out where her boss had run off to next, Levy McGarden was sitting casually in a corner, flipping around in a book written completely in legalese, with her partner, Gajeel Redfox, standing by her side, attempting to wrap his head around what Levy loved so much. Ah, this is exactly what Juvia loved, and there was only one thing that could make it better.

Juvia looked impatiently at the clock. '_7:30'_ she thought, crying a little on the inside. Her dear Gray wouldn't be arriving for another hour. And thus began the waiting period she dreaded everyday. She pulled out the paper that contained her chores for the day, with 'exciting' activities ranging from getting coffee for the board members, assisting in various tasks, and generally doing work others don't feel like doing. Juvia didn't hate it. She knew her place. She just wished it was more interesting.

As Juvia went about her routine, she watched the clock with burning intensity, eyeballing it whenever she had a chance. 7:40, 8:00, 8:25, the clock counted down, almost getting slower as the time got closer. He was never late, she liked that about him. Finally, the clock ticked, 8:30. Her head zipped towards the door. Just as time called, the elevator dinged, and he stepped a single foot out. The random ginger headed woman at his side blew him a kiss before he completely stepped out, giving a halfhearted wave back. Juvia smiled, happy that her beloved had arrived, and she mentally said goodbye to the strange woman, knowing she would never see her again, and tomorrow, Gray would arrive with a different woman. Juvia sat down quietly at her desk, readying herself for another day of merely admiring Gray from a distance.

Everyone in the office knew about Gray's playboy tendencies, but no one said a word, assuming he was happy with the unusual lifestyle he was living. But Juvia knew better. She felt she knew him better than anyone. Perhaps that was a bit strange of her, considering she hasn't known him as long as everyone else, but she could see it. The obvious sadness that floated off of him, like an unavoidable stench. No one else could see it, or perhaps they could and just pretended nothing out of the ordinary was happening, but they wouldn't do that. If anyone else noticed his depression, they would try to help. They were Fairy Tail after all.

"Juvia!" Juvia could hear a sing-song voice behind her, and she quickly swiveled her chair around to see Lisanna smiling down at her. Lisanna always dressed so adorable like. A flower headband adorned her hair, and she wore a blue dress with a black belt and a white dress jacket, whose sleeves ended just before her wrists.

"Lisanna." Juvia replied in a sing-song voice, mimicking Lisanna's cutesy voice. Lisanna sighed in relief.

"Good, you're talking. I was worried you might have already gone into Stalking-Grey mode." Lisanna laughed at her own joke, wiping away the tiny tears that formed at the edges of her eyes with the tip of her index finger. Juvia looked away, and began staring longingly at Grey once more. Lisanna stopped laughing, and leaned up against Juvia's desk, patting her on the back. "Oh you know I kid." Juvia sighed.

"No, it's not you. I just…" She trailed off, proceeding to stare back at Grey, who was walking to his office and would soon be out of her view. Lisanna looked and Juvia, a sympathetic look painted across her face.

"Listen, Juvia," Lisanna forcefully turned Juvia's chair to face her. "I wouldn't get involved with Grey if I were you. At least romantically. Nothing good will come out of it." Juvia had heard this many times. Everyone told her that Gray Fullbuster was happy living the way he was, but she knew that wasn't the case. Juvia was positive of it. She was sure if she was given the chance, she could help him. She just didn't know how.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Chapter 3. Thanks for the follows and the kind review from Sarapyon. 3**

The following day didn't start as you might have expected it. When Juvia opened her eyes to awaken from her slumber, she took notice of the clock. '7:33' was what it tauntingly read. Juvia Lockser was late. She was never late. She prided herself on that, and timeliness was key in Fairy Tail Law, especially when you are responsible for the miscellaneous chores that have to be done every morning; like getting coffee for the senior board members.

Juvia's eyes widened as that task occurred in her head. It was too late to catch a bus, she would have to run to work. Juvia threw off her sheets in a mad dash, and threw on a random pantsuit for the extra mobility, and didn't even bother eating a healthy breakfast before brushing her teeth and racing out the door.

'_Coffee, coffee, coffee'_The word resounded in her head like a mantra, as she made sure to stop by the nearest coffee shop to pick up drinks for the board members, like she had normally done, but usually in a less frantic manner.

"Excuse me, pardon!" She shouted, pushing past people in the crowded streets of Magnolia. Juvia didn't remember the streets being this full. Seemed like even God hated her that morning. Juvia glanced at her watch. '8:28.' She was going to get a mouthful from Makarov for sure. As she neared the tall skyscraper, she quickened her step, not wanting to be any later than she already was. Poor Juvia was in such a hurry, she forgot to take notice of the one piece of cement on the sidewalk that was a bit taller than the others, but by the time she realized she was falling, it was too late.

"Eh?" Time almost slowed as she began to trip, she could see the coffee that was once in her hand, hurling through the air, tossing and turning in a whirling spree until it finally landed on him.

"Son of a.." Juvia was too afraid to open her eyes. She was afraid before, but even more so when she recognized that voice. With a slight squint of the eye, she turns to look at the man whom she drenched with a substance known for its stains. Juvia swallowed hard, her fears answered. Gray was standing just in front of her, his hair completely soaked with the liquid and was now hanging over his eyes in a bit of an emo fashion, and the stains on his black suit were hardly noticeable, but couldn't be more obvious on the white shirt he was wearing underneath.

"Mr. Fullbuster, are you alright?" A brunette ran to his side, grabbing his arm. Gray swiveled his head to face her, and began to pry her hands off of him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied, his tone only slightly irritated which, for Juvia, was a godsend. "You should probably go." The nameless woman shows a second of shock on her face before bowing her head slightly and trotting off into the direction from whence she came.

Gray then turned his head back to face the perpetrator of the coffee spilling, and Juvia quickly turned her gaze back to the ground. She couldn't keep eye contact with Gray for longer than a few seconds without blushing madly.

"Juvia." He said, calmly, something Juvia didn't expect from the person she threw coffee all over, but that didn't stop it from sending shivers up and down her spine.

Juvia swallowed hard once again.

"Y-yes?" She stuttered, keeping her intense staring contest with the ground. Gray became silent, neither of them speaking or even making a sound for a moment, before he finally offered his hand to help her up. Juvia jolted a bit at the sight. She had never so much as exchanged a word with him, and now all of this was happening. Her heart was pounding out of her chest as she slowly took his hand and pulled herself up.

Gray grasped her hand firmly and pulled her up just close so he could whisper in her ear, "Meet me in my office." Juvia's eyes widened and he let go of her hand before walking away. Once he was out of sight, Juvia's face had grown a great color of crimson.

'_Eh?!'_ She thought, so many things racing through her head. Juvia took the palms of her hands and slapped herself on each side of her face. _'You'll be fine, Juvia. Fight!'_She pumped herself up before entering Fairy Tail Law and starting her day.

Once Juvia had reached the 9th floor, she glanced over at Gray's office, noticing that he wasn't there. She tapped herself on the head, noting her stupidity, considering it's impossible for him to be here since she entered the building first. Since he wasn't there, Juvia decided to take a moment to recover from the mini heart attack she suffered from in the comfort and serenity of her small desk. In the distance, she could see Lucy, walking with Natsu, making sure he was on time for everything he had scheduled. She giggled, imagining how lost he would be without her. Lucy noticed Juvia's chuckles, and starting fast walking in her direction.

"Juvia, you're here!" She exclaimed. Juvia nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, I just woke up late. That's all" _'Yeah, that's all.'_Juvia thought to herself. "What about the board members? They're probably angry I messed up, huh?" Lucy's face adopted a puzzled look, before finally realizing what Juvia was talking about.

"Oh no, it's fine. I took care of it. I was already out running errands, and stopped by and took care of it all." Lucy smiled her kind smile before patting Juvia on the back. "I should probably go now. I can't leave Natsu alone for a second." Juvia laughed. She found their relationship to be funny.

A few minutes later, Juvia heard the ever so slight ding of the elevator. She turned to see it was Gray, finally arriving wearing a cleaner suit than the one Juvia had ruined. He saw her staring, and beckoned her to follow him into his office. Juvia shivered. He was probably angry, and wanted her to pay for the coffee stained suit. Problem was, Juvia didn't make a lot, certainly not as much as a lawyer. Dreading what awaited her, she lumbered up and slowly began walking towards the room that held her fate.

Gray's office was a nice one, with two comfortable chairs sat in front of a large wooden desk with a name plate labeled _Gray Fullbuster_.

"Take a seat." He commanded, gesturing towards one of the seats, and Juvia plops herself down, not daring to disobey. He leaned up against his desk, facing Juvia; maintaining a silent demeanor, as if waiting for her to talk. It took her awhile before she was even able to find her voice.

"If its money you want for the suit, I don't have it, but I'll pay you back when I can!" Juvia blurted out, still not even daring to look at him in the eye. His beauty in her eyes was just absolutely radiant. She felt so nervous just sitting in his presence,

The silence persisted until it was finally broken by Gray's chuckle.

"Money?" He asked in disbelief, followed by more laughter. "No, nothing like that. I'm interested in something else." Juvia fiddled with her fingers in thought. If not payment, what is it that he wanted?

Gray leaned in close, pointing at Juvia with his index finger. "I want you as my assistant." Juvia blinked a few times, and then proceeded to pinch herself in the arm to confirm a non-dreaming state.

'_What?'_


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Chapter 3. Bah, sorry it's so short. I haven't the time to write a lot but with Thanksgiving on the way, perhaps I'll have more time? Not sure, but I'll try. Anyways, thank you so much for all the kind reviews, favorites and follows! It really means a lot that you enjoy what I'm doing 3 It truly does!**

"Assistant?" Juvia sputtered, hardly believing the words were falling out of her mouth. The thought of her being Gray personal assistant was almost unfathomable. Not only because she was one of the most unreliable people at Fairy Tail, but because Gray had denied all applicants for the position of his assistant. Why her?

"Yeah. Your tasks are simple." Gray stood back up, turning back to his desk to grab a file off of his desk. "Just follow me around and do as you're told. You'll also have to keep my schedule in order." He dropped the heavy file on Juvia's lap, her jolting in response to the sudden weight, barely catching it before it slipped onto the ground. "Your first order of business is to organize that." Juvia held the large files in her hand, inspecting it from every angle.

"What exactly is this?" She questioned, unsure if this was very much a trap. Gray merely shrugged.

"Old and solved cases. They need to be filed." He smiled slyly, but Juvia, being who she is, didn't mind or even notice, really. She was still too busy being amazed by the events that were unfolding in front of her.

"O-okay." Juvia stuttered, carrying the massive files underneath her arm as she grabbed the door handle ready to leave. Just as she was about to leave, she felt the gentle hand of Gray on her shoulder.

"Thanks for agreeing to help me." He whispered in her ear before opening the door for her and giving her a soft push out. Juvia began to wonder. She never actually agreed to help him, but it was a bit too late to say no, now. Wasn't it? She was complaining, though. Far from it, really. Juvia felt strangely lucky. Before this dreamlike event occurred, she couldn't get within a few feet of Gray without getting completely nervous and dashing like a mad man in the opposite direction. But now, it seemed as though the universe was pushing them together, and she didn't mind the gentle push of it.

Juvia dropped the massive file of cases on her desk and it fell with a hard thud. '_So many case!'_ she thought, her respect for her new boss only increasing by the second. Once she got herself situated in her desk, she began flipping through the different cases that lay before her. It didn't take her long to notice the obvious pattern. '_Divorce, divorce, divorce. Why so many divorce cases?'_ Every lawyer at Fairy Tail was well versed in all kinds of cases, but the only cases Gray had solved in that massive stack were divorce. _'Perhaps he has labeled himself as a divorce attorney?' _She comforted herself with a probable lie. Either way, he had a lot of cases closed, and that she found incredibly admirable.

As the hours passed, Juvia continued working diligently. Many people, especially woman, had tried hard for the chance to become Gray Fullbuster's assistant, and she had gotten the job without even asking for it. It was an amazing opportunity and there was no way she would squander it. By the time Juvia completed filing the last case, she could hardly keep her eyes open. 8:15 P.M was what the clock read. Majority of the workers had gone home, the only exceptions being Levy, who stayed late nearly every night, and Natsu and Lucy, who only stayed late when they had a big case to work on. Perhaps she and Gray could one day be like them. Juvia shook the thought out of her head. If she ever wanted that to happen, she'd have to work hard to gain Gray's trust.

Juvia swiveled around in her chair lost in thought and exhaustion. It was late, verging on 8:30 now, too late for any buses to be running and far too late for a young girl such as herself to walk home. That would be basic suicide. As minutes passed, Juvia's exhaustion grew, her eyes fluttering under the weight of her sleepiness. She figured a few moments of a little shut eye wouldn't hurt. Those were the last thoughts that floated through her mind as she settled in for a night of sleep.

When she awoke the next morning, she had such an awful ache in her neck. As she sat up, she pushed her luscious blue hair out of her face, rubbing her temples in a valiant yet futile effort to make the headache go away. Juvia looked around to take in her surroundings. The office was completely empty, just as it had been when she had fallen asleep. The clock read, 6:45. _'Wow, I slept all night.'_ Juvia continued rubbing her head, disappointed in herself for not even going home to take a show. So unsanitary to say the least!

As Juvia got up to go to the restroom, she noticed something nice that was placed upon her desk. A cup of steaming hot tea with a sticky note saying '_Shouldn't sleep at work!'_ Juvia was nothing less than surprised. Had Gray come early when he noticed she didn't go home? Impossible! Right? Juvia couldn't help but smile. The mere thought of Gray caring even the slightest bit about her felt… well, nice. There was no denying that. Juvia peeled the sticky note off, pasting on the edge of her computer monitor in a proud fashion, and then preceded the drink the tea up in an effort to warm up. The office was awfully cold in the mornings.

When the clock stroked 8:30, Juvia prepared for the incoming of one Gray Fullbuster. She wanted nothing more than to thank him for his kindness. Just as planned, Gray walked through the elevator, said goodbye to some strange lady, and proceeded to walk to his office. Juvia decided this was the best time to give him her thanks

She approached his door with caution, still a bit nervous. Her going to his office was nothing unusual, right? After all, she was his assistant; nothing unusual happening here. Juvia knocked on the door, pausing for a moment.

"Come in." She gleefully opened the door once she heard the go ahead, making sure to hold tightly onto the organized files from the night before. That way it wouldn't be too weird. Just her informing him of a complete assignment plus her thanks.

"Hello, sir." Juvia said happily. "I have the files from last night, all organized." She placed them gently on his large wooden desk, right in front of him insuring that he took a good look at the great work she had done. Gray, taking notice of how excited she was over her work, decided to actually take a look at it, rather than dismiss it; an act unusual for him.

Gray began slowly nodding his head, the slightest of smiles emerging on his face; yet another thing that was quite odd for him. "This is well done. And you got it done so quickly!" He exclaimed. Juvia nodded proudly, and she herself, decided now would be the best time to thank him.

"Hey, about this morning..." She began "I just want to thank you. I stayed up all night working on that, and it feels good having some appreciation." Juvia smiled, happy she was able to speak to Gray in such a normal fashion. But Gray formed a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean?" He asked. Juvia's smile quickly faded. Did he not remember? Or perhaps…?

"The tea? You left it on my desk this morning?" Juvia threw out some key words, anything to help ignite the memory in his head. He just continued shaking his head.

"I don't…" He began but was quickly interrupted.

"He wasn't the one who did it." A voice from behind Juvia said in a triumphant if not cocky voice. Juvia turned to face the man who dare interrupt such an important moment. And there she saw him.

A man with white hair and a smile so irritatingly cocky it could only belong to one person alive.

"Oh no, not you."


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: Chapter 4. Thanksgiving, woo. Sorry it's a bit short! I wanted to get this out as soon as possible + I had a lot of stuff to deal with today. (Family, am I right?) So I hope you nonetheless, enjoy. \(^_^)/**

"Oh no, not you." Juvia said loudly, the whole room going silent as she realized who it was. "What are you doing here, Lyon?" She questioned. Lyon shrugged and smiled that smile that made Juvia want to punch a baby, something she normally didn't want to do, taking into consideration her being a very passive human being.

Lyon Bastia was Juvia's childhood friend in their old town, the word 'friend' being used lightly. Their relationship was more 'you're-the-only-other-kid-in-my-town-so-I'm-going-to-hang-with-you.' Because of this, they were forced, to spend time with one another, time Juvia could have spent doing other things.

Lyon strutted over to Juvia, "You can run from me, Juvia." He said, patting her affectionately on the head. Juvia looked over at Gray, internally pleading that he would understand she doesn't like have Lyon around her. His head was hung down a bit, so she couldn't be sure, but she could've sworn she saw his eye twitching in irritation.

"I'm sorry, but might I ask who the hell you are?" Gray got up in a sudden motion, his eyes closed, but a deceptive smile plastered on his face. Lyon grinned, pushing his hair up.

"I'm an old friend of Juvia, and I came to get her out of work." Gray's eye twitched again. He stepped away from his desk, hands in pockets, and began approaching the man that was irritating him so.

"Sorry, but my assistant has lots of work to do today," Gray put his hand on Juvia's shoulder, who had mentally checked out since the start. "Can I ask you to leave, and perhaps never come back again? It's for everyone's sake." Gray's sly smile still not leaving his face. Perhaps he wanted to best Lyon like a gentleman?

Lyon scoffed. "Likewise; you are interrupting an important moment between me and my dear Juvia." It was at that point Juvia snapped.

"Lyon, can I speak with you outside?" Juvia threw up the cutest smile that was possible, knowing Lyon couldn't resist her when she was at her best.

Lyon beamed, holding open the door. "After you." Just as Juvia walked out the door, Lyon glared at Gray, with Gray glaring back just as hard.

Was the door was safely closed behind them, Juvia was finally able to let loose. "How the heck did you find me?" She asked with a loud whisper? "I specifically moved away from that little town without telling you so that this wouldn't happen!" Lyon let out a little chuckle.

"Your parents told me. They're surprisingly open when it comes to their daughter." Juvia frowned. Curse them! They were always weirdly supportive of Lyon's creepy-verging-on-stalker obsession with her.

"So that tea…?" She asked.

"All me!" Lyon announced proudly. Juvia's day just got worse. The tea that once warmed her insides suddenly weren't sitting well. "I came in to see you and saw that you were sleeping so I left you tea. Your favorite." Juvia sighed.

"My work day's started, and I'm not leaving, but it's best if you do." Lyon shrugged.

"I'll be back." He smiled his signature smile, and Juvia brushed it off. She found him to be highly disturbing. With that conversation to be luckily at a close, Juvia stepped back into her boss's office to obtain that day's workload.

"I'm sorry about that." She instantly apologized, closing the door silently behind her.

"Are you okay?" She heard Gray's voice, getting closer to her as she spoke. Juvia turned to see Gray's chest right in front of her. She had never noticed how tall he was up close.

"Eh?" She said quite surprised, face completely red in confusion. "O-oh, yeah. I'm okay." Gray let out a sigh of relief. He placed his hand gently on the top of her head, his palm warm, and Juvia wasn't sure if this was possible, but it felt oddly, kind.

Gray suddenly paused, pulling his hand away quickly. "So, work." He said, changing the subject, turning and walking back to his desk.

Juvia placed her hand on her head where Gray's hand had once rested. "Mm. Work." She replied. She began shaking her head in an effort to relieve her face of the embarrassment that plagued it. Despite feeling so ashamed of Lyon's sudden reappearance, and the not so subtle feeling of not having gone home the previous night, the day was seemingly turning around. Perhaps things weren't as bad as she had once thought.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Juvia felt relatively good, not a letting someone from her past get her down. She sat her desk, sorting paper work, scheduling for her boss, and searching cat videos on the internet in the spare time that was allowed to her. When the clock struck 5:30, Juvia prepared to go home, and get some very much needed rest, but not before she heard a certain cutesy voice speaking behind her.

"Juvia!" She was very familiar with this voice. It was Lisanna, happily bounding towards Juvia. It seemed as though nothing could get that young girl down. "I have some great news!" She exclaimed, so excited, Juvia was legitimately worried about the girl's heart. "It's time for the annual Partnership Training!" She was so jubilant as she said those words.

"Partnership… training?" Juvia didn't like the sound of it. Lisanna merely nodded, maintaining her smile the whole way through.

"It's just a little company retreat for lawyers and their assistants. It exists to maintain the flawless partnerships that exist here at Fairy Tail Law. Gray will finally be able to attend this year." Juvia thought about this. Gray hadn't gone in previous years? I guess that made sense. He had no one to go with before. Juvia smiled. To be the first one he goes with? That would definitely be something to be proud of. "Luckily it's mandatory. Otherwise, I don't think he would go." Lisanna continued. She paused for a moment, to observe the smitten look on Juvia's face. "I hope you're heeding my warning. Gray's not someone you want to get involved with. Be careful when you go on this trip."

Juvia thought Lisanna was sweet for caring about her like this, but she thought she didn't understand. If she had been there earlier, she would get that Juvia could change Gray.

"So when is this retreat?" Juvia asked, very much interested now.

"Next week. I haven't told Gray yet, so make that your first order of business tomorrow." Lisanna handed Juvia a slip of paper entailing the details of the trip. "The whole thing is being planned by my sister, Mira, and I, this year, so you know it's going to be awesome!" Juvia nodded.

"Thanks. It looks really fun. I'm looking forward." This was not a lie. Juvia had become enamored with the idea of going on a Partnership Training retreat with Gray. Hopefully this would strengthen their partnership, and Gray would soon confide in Juvia about his odd lifestyle.

Lisanna waved goodbye to Juvia as she walked away, and Juvia grabbed her things in preparation to go home.

Like all nights, Juvia caught a late-night bus home, and ran as fast as her legs could take her to the 4th floor of her apartment building. She ran even faster due to it being winter, and it got awfully dark around 5:30. Her apartment was modest, with hardwood floors, island counter in the kitchen with three chairs lining it, and in the living room, a comfy couch sat in front of a small TV, and she kept it as clean as possible, since the second you walked out of her individual unit, the hallway and basically the rest of the building looked pretty ghetto, but Juvia didn't mind. After two years of living in the place, it felt like home.

Juvia went about her usually routine of the night; she took a warm shower, cooked herself a healthy meal (no instant foods for her!), watched her favorite romance drama, and then usually ended her night browsing the internet as every introvert did.

Once Juvia laid her head down to sleep in a bed whose sheets were covered with cute little raindrop patterns, she noticed she couldn't as so much close her eyes. Her head was filled to the brink with the excitement of the retreat swirling in her head. She made a mental note in her head, cursing Lisanna for spreading her glee, before hopping and waltzing over to the medicine cabinet to pop a sleep aid. Juvia could tell the following week would be a long one.

With take two of operation "Get some sleep" commencing, Juvia took the time to get her thoughts together, most of all, problem number one: Lyon. Her basic stalker. She figured the trip would be the best place to lose him, after all, everyone at work would be there, and with no one left at the office, there would be no one to tell him where they went. The plan was genius. Completely foolproof! Unfortunately, Juvia would discover that to be false on the first day of their trip.

Juvia awoke feeling refreshed and energized, surprising since she got a late start on that night's sleep. That day was the day she had to tell Gray about the retreat. She mentally crossed her fingers that he would show as much enthusiasm as her, although she knew that probably be unlikely.

As she got dressed, she made sure dress as cutely as possible, carefully putting a pin with a flower on her ponytail and a blue dress that closely resembled her hair. Taking note of the wintery weather outside, she threw on a white coat with white buttons, the coat mostly covering her dress, aside from an inch of blue visible from the bottom. As she observed herself in the mirror, she thought she looked cute, yet sophisticated and womanly. Juvia was proud of herself. As she left to go to work, she chose her cutest pair of closed toe heels. When looking out the window, one could obviously see that the sun would not be showing its face from behind those clouds.

Normal people would have brought an umbrella, just in case. Little did Juvia know, forgetting an umbrella may as well been the best accident she'd make for a while.

"Hello, sir" Juvia spoke in a hushed tone, her excitement threatening to explode and take control any minute. Gray stood, leaning up against a bookcase, his nose deep in a case file.

"Morning, Juvia." He said, extremely casually. Juvia felt happy. They were finally in a place where they could speak to one another normally. "You need to talk about something?" He asked.

"Mm." She replied. "There's a Partnership Training retreat week. I was told by Lisanna we were required to go." Juvia hoped her smiles were enough to get him excited.

"Oh." He mumbled. "I forgot those existed." Gray looked bored, but not like he totally dreaded the idea. However, his bored face was still enough to bring Juvia's entire mood down.

"Do you not want to go or something?" She mumbled in response, feeling extremely down, looking down at the floor. Gray looked at her for a bit, observing her sad face.

"I guess I don't mind going." He said. Juvia looked up, her mood back in tip top shape.

"That's wonderful!" She exclaimed. She felt great. Perhaps she was truly getting through to him. "Oh, is there any specific work you need me to do?" Juvia asked. With his approval over the retreat confirmed, she felt as though she could take on the world.

"Uh, yeah." He closed the case file he was carrying and shoved in back in its safe spot on the book shelf behind him. "You're gonna have to stay late tonight. I've got some more case files coming in later today. They have to be filed before tomorrow." Juvia nodded.

"Consider it done!" She raised her arm in the air, confident she could get it done. There was no way in hell she was disappointing Gray.

The clock ticked away the hours, more people went home the later it got. The files Juvia was due to work with didn't arrive until 6:15 P.M. Juvia tried to maintain the confidence she so strongly held hours earlier, but after taking a single gander at the amount of work she had ahead of her, she could honestly feel the confidence draining out of her the longer she looked at it. Two large boxes, packed to the brink with unorganized case files. It felt impossible. But Juvia made a promise, to herself, and her boss.

She gripped one of the heavy boxes firmly, dropping it with a heavy thud on her desk. She sighed heavily. _'Might as well get started.'_ Juvia thought, and began pulling the files out, one by one. As she started, she heard the loud closing of a door. _'Who's still here at this hour?'_ The thought came into her head once, but passed quickly. Suddenly, a shadow was cast over her small work environment. "Eh?" She wondered out loud, whipping her head upwards to see who was disturbing her. Who she saw standing there was even more surprising.

"Gray?" She asked, internally asking herself if she was sane. "What are you doing here? It's late, you should be at home."

Gray pulled up a chair and began pulling files out of the massive box. "You didn't think I'd let you stay here all alone? It's a lot of work. Course you need help." He smiled. "Shall we start?" Juvia smiled in return. She could hardly believe her eyes, but she wasn't complaining.

As the two started on the late night working session, outside the thunder began to rumble.


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: Ack, it's been so long! Sorry everyone who's been waiting! I've had so much going on. So many tests landing all on the same day, and I even got ill from all the stress. But it's Christmas break now, so I have a bit of time to myself now :) Sorry for the length of this by the way. I wanted to get something out, anything to show I was still alive. Hope you enjoy \(^o^)/**

"That's it." Gray said in a groggy tone as he put the final file to together. Juvia was relieved the workload was done, but disappointed she had to part ways with Gray.

Juvia rubbed her eyes and turned slowly to check the clock. 11:20. Late at night, and the fog had just settled comfortably on the ground floor. It was right out of a murder mystery novel and it made Juvia's skin crawl in uncertainty. She was not looking forward to the walk home that inevitably waited for her.

Despite the nervous feelings she felt floating around her stomach at the beginning of their work, Juvia overall felt good that she got to spend time with her beloved. They rarely spoke to one another as they worked, but being near him was enough for her.

"We'd best head home." Gray mumbled, taking notice of the horrid conditions outdoors.

"Mm." Juvia replied quietly. She really didn't want to go home. Not just yet. Juvia gathered her things in her work bag and slung it over her shoulder and followed Gray to the elevator. The two maintained the silence they had before as they stood in the quiet confined space. Juvia was definitely improving. If she had been how she had been before, her heart would've have been beating out of her chest, but now, it was just a low thump in heart.

Upon exiting the building, Juvia noticed the fog was clearly thicker than it had been before, or perhaps it was just her imagination. Either way, one could barely see ten feet in front of them, and a slow trickle of rain had begun to fall. Juvia didn't mind the rain, but she did, however, mind it when she had to walk home all alone.

While Juvia was in her own little world of self-pity and worry, Gray took notice of the worry some look plastered on her face.

"Are you ok? You look anxious." Gray asked in a voice Juvia could have sworn had a hint of concern in it.

"Eh?" Juvia was surprised, and began poking at her face with her finger, noticing how her face was tensed up. "Oh, I guess I am." She giggled, in an attempt to ease the stress that showed so clearly on her face. Gray placed his hand gently on her shoulder in a comforting tense.

"What's on your mind?" He questioned. Juvia sighed. She really didn't want him to think she was a baby considering the only thing on her mind was her fear of walking home. But with the fog growing over thicker she decided to show off her fear without hesitation.

"Nothing much." She mumbled. "Just, walking home isn't going to be that great today." Juvia held out her hand, catching the light droplets of rain in her palm. It seemed rain followed her wherever she went.

Gray chuckled. "Is that all?" He asked, his unique laughter still leaking out. Juvia blushed; embarrassed she had even said anything. "You should of said something earlier!" He exclaimed. Gray put his hand affectionately on Juvia's head, patting it gently. "My car will be here in a minute," Gray said, kindly. "I'll take you home." Juvia could hardly believe her own ears. Why was he treating her with such kindness? Despite the thoughts of doubt running her head, she didn't mind the feeling of him touching her head.

Once the car arrived, Gray held the door open, "Ladies first." He said. Juvia's face began changing back into the crimson red it had been before, and she jumped into the car, thanking her lucky stars it was just dark enough for Gray to not see her face.

"Fairy Hills, please." Gray said, tapping on the window to the driver's seat. Juvia sat back as the car began to rock into motion. She felt awfully awkward sitting by her beloved. Every few seconds she would sneak a peek at him, only to get embarrassed and turn away. Juvia sighed and leaned up against the door, crossing her legs and staring blankly out the window.

Juvia felt as though she was in a good place in her life. Her once monotonous lifestyle had become interesting both in good ways, and in bad. She couldn't be happier that she was closer to Gray, someone she previously couldn't even dream of approaching, but she still had a heavy cloud floating over her head. A cloud by the name of Lyon. She knew him well enough. Juvia thought he was clingy at first, but at this point he was a borderline stalker. Luckily, the guy only knew of where she worked, so at least she could relax properly at home. Still, she felt awfully unnerved.

Juvia continued staring out the window, the rain making only a slight tapping noise against the vehicle. The city of Magnolia was vibrant during the day, people always crowding in the streets, rushing to their destinations. But once night fell upon the city, the place became a basic ghost town, with not a soul in sight, and the stores that were once filled with people were barred up for the night. Magnolia at night made Juvia very much uncomfortable.

Within a few minutes of driving through the deserted streets, they finally found themselves in front of the Fairy Hills Apartment complex, the apartment building that Juvia lived in.

"Thanks again for the ride." Juvia thanked Gray profusely as she climbed out of the car. Gray merely shook his head, a smile creeping along the edge of his mouth.

"It's really no problem." He explained. "It's the least I can do for my hardworking assistant."

Juvia was no less, surprised to hear this. Since she started working for him, he hadn't so much as thanked her for her hard work. Hearing his appreciation made her feel good. "Still, thanks!" She exclaimed, her widest smile glowing on her face. Gray's eyes widened, and he quickly turned away. Juvia couldn't be sure, but she could've sworn she saw his face turn a slight color of pink.

"You should probably get inside." Gray mumbled. "We have a long day tomorrow." Juvia nodded.

"See you tomorrow, then." She smiled, waving at him before turning around and entering her building. She felt good, strangely fulfilled despite nothing happening. Maybe the rain really can bring good things.


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: Chapter 6, Sorry it's short. I'm having major writers block right now. I know what I want to happen, and I've got the story figured out, I just haven't worked out the spaces in between (if you know what I mean). Anyway, next chapter shall be longer since I've got it figured out now. \(^o^)/ _~yay_**

A few days had passed since that fateful day in the rain, and Juvia could hardly keep her mind focused. Juvia, Gray, and the rest of the groups were to leave for the company excursion the following day, and Juvia could hardly contain her excitement. She would finally get a proper chance to bond with Gray. Nothing could possibly change that.

Juvia rested her head tiredly on her desk, exhausted due to the fact that her excitement kept her up the previous night.

"Hey, Juvia? Are you okay?" A soft and quiet voice said, and Juvia felt a slight pat at the top of her head.

"Eh?" Juvia's head jolted upwards, narrowly missing the head of person who woke her. She rubbed her eyes, clearing her vision until the person's face became clearer. "Oh, Levy. It's you." She mumbled in a groggy tone

"Oh, don't sound too disappointed." Levy pouted, followed by a giggle, signifying she was very much kidding, although no one ever needed conformation. Levy rarely lost her temper. "Anyway, Mirajane was busy so she asked me to give this to you. Right when I was in the middle of working on a case." Levy threw up her fake pout face while handing Juvia a sheet of paper.

"Hm." Juvia replied. "What's this?"

"Oh, just the bus seating and dormitory arrangements. Unfortunately, both of them are ordered by male and female, so you won't get to sit by Gray." Juvia sighed. She knew it was too good to be true. Of course, it would be a bit weird to share a room with Gray. After all, Juvia was a good girl!

"It's alright." Juvia smiled. "I still get to be with him during the day." Levy kindly returned the smile.

"Good. Stay positive!" Levy's smile quickly faded as a look of remembrance consumed her face. "Oh, I need to return to work!" She turned and began quickening her step to her office. "Gajeel, back to work!" She yelled, beckoning to him to follow.

Juvia could hear the bulky man's reluctant groans as he moved to follow her. Juvia was so jealous of Gajeel. Like Juvia, Gajeel had come from Phantom Lord, but unlike Juvia, he had adapted much faster, quickly becoming the reluctant yet supportive assistant of one of the most surprisingly intimidating lawyers Fairy Tail Law had to offer. Juvia always had issues with speaking her mind, but now that she had Gray at her side, she felt as though nothing could stop her from moving forward.

"Juvia, I need you here!" Juvia could hear Gray's impatient voice calling from his office, and she quickly picked herself up to go and assist him.

"Yes, sir?" She asked, eager to help.

"I've got an appointment with a client at 2. Make sure to tell me when they arrive." Juvia pulled out her pocket notebook and quickly scratched down the time.

"Is there anything else you need while I'm here?" She questioned.

Gray remained quiet for a bit before finally answering. "No, that'll be all." Juvia nodded, before closing the door behind her.

"Client, huh?" She whispered to herself, spinning her pencil impatiently around in her hand. Sighing, she quickly returned to her desk and rested her head on the tabletop, still exhausted. Juvia felt oddly depressed, her earlier strain of excitement drained from her, and she was left only wanting to sleep. It's not like she had any work. Other than maintain Gray's schedule and occasionally order old case files, he rarely let her do anything for him. Their relationship wasn't like Natsu and Lucy, where if Lucy was gone, Natsu would basically take the day off. Juvia was hoping that Gray would rely on her, like a boss should, but never let her help deal with current cases, only things that were done, and in the past.

Juvia sat up in a sudden motion, slapping herself on her cheeks with both of her hands. There was really no need for her to feel sad. The excursion was tomorrow and soon she and Gray would be able to spend boundless time together. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. Surely their relationship would improve by then.

An hour had gone by, and Juvia had done absolutely nothing. Say what you will about her old job as 'coffee girl', but at least she did stuff. At least she was needed.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" A young woman approached the desk, her brunette hair flowing around her shoulders. "You're Mrs. Juvia Lockser, right?" She asked.

"Um, yes!" Juvia stood up quickly from her desk bowing her head in respect for the woman. "What can I do for you?"

The woman smiled, "I'm here for my 2 o' clock appointment with Gray Fullbuster." Juvia looked at her watch. Was it really that time already? Had she really been brooding that long?

"Yes, right this way." Juvia picked herself, and began escorting the strange woman to Gray's office just across the hall. "Just go straight in, he's expecting you."

The woman wasted no time pushing past Juvia to enter the office, disregarding her existence. Juvia bit her lip, only a little irritated that the woman had zero respect for hard working employees.

Juvia saw the woman take a seat through the glass window. She took note of the woman's bright red face as she spoke with Gray. Juvia glared her eyes, sighing deeply. That poor woman was in love with Gray, too. Juvia was saddened by the thought. Now that she thought about it, she had nearly forgotten about how popular Gray actually was, not to mention, these woman had so many redeeming qualities. If one were to compare, they were so much better than her.

Juvia looked down at her hands, and noticed that the notebook she had been carrying suffered some damage from the intense clenching Juvia had inadvertently done with her hands. She took yet another deep sigh, realizing that her jealously was uncalled for, and all in all, unnecessary. After all, she and Gray weren't dating, and couldn't even call each other friends. She was just the assistant.

Juvia, in complete daze, began fumbling back to her desk. Ever since she had become Gray's assistant, her workload had greatly decreased, but she felt unfulfilled now that she wasn't constantly helping someone. Juvia saw the bus and dormitory seating arrangements sheet on her desk, and she remembered she had thrown it aside without even taking a look at it.

The sheet was split into two sections: the men's arrangements, and the female arrangements. Juvia eyes skimmed the page until she found her name. '_Juvia Lockser – Lucy Heartfillia'_ Juvia thought to herself. She sighed in relief. Lucy wasn't a bad person, and Juvia could tolerate her.

Pulling back her long sleeve, she looked at her watch, noticing her work day was nearly done. The day had gone by abnormally fast. Perhaps this was because of her excitement for the retreat the next day? Or perhaps she subconsciously couldn't bear to see Gray talk with that client any longer? Either way, the following day couldn't come any faster.

Finally, Juvia's incessant staring at Gray and the woman through the glass window from her desk paid off, as she gleefully examined those shaking hands. Juvia's heart sank a bit as she saw Gray give the woman a bright smile. Juvia patted herself on the cheek, telling herself it was for business reasons only.

"Gray!" She shouted, soon after the elevator had closed with the lady inside it. "Is there anything else you need me to do today?" Gray rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, indicating his tiredness.

"No, you can just go home. Get some rest. We have an early day tomorrow." Juvia smiled. He had remembered the excursion. It was such a simple gesture, and yet it felt so good.

"Yes, sir." She closed her eyes and gave him a cutesy salute before heading to gather her stuff together.

Juvia's bus ride home was filled with jolly feelings as the butterflies in her stomach pranced about like moths around a light. She began filling her head with expectations about the trip, knowing full well it was most likely not going to end in them falling madly in love, but like most fan girls, that didn't stop her fantasy.

When Juvia arrived home, she went about her regular schedule, and plopped herself in bed at the end of the day, the fantasies from the bus ride resounding in her head like a never-ending melody.


End file.
